My grandmother would make this pudding for family dinners, including Christmas Eve, which was always at her apartment in Boston.

Years later, I discovered it is a quick and easy version of an Italian dessert called “Zuppa Inglese,” popular in Northern Italy where my grandmother was born. My brother and I always referred to it as simply, “the pudding with the red stuff.”

Italian liqueurs, such as Alkermes, are sometimes available in the U.S. but I’ve found that it’s sporadic. Companies seem to import them some years, and some years, they don’t (at least in the Boston area).

The “red stuff” is an Italian liquor called “Alkermes,” (sometimes spelled, “Alchermes”) which is nearly impossible to find in the U.S. However, you can make this using brandy or dark rum and then adding red food coloring. I’ve also heard that a raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord, would work.

The liquor turns the biscotti pieces red, making this a colorful dish, especially for Christmas.

I’m making this for Christmas Eve dinner at my house this year and am fortunate to have a bottle of Alkermes that I purchased in Italy this summer. But don’t let a lack of Alkermes stop you from making this.

Liquor pairs well with vanilla pudding. Salute!

This recipe couldn’t be any easier. All you do is make vanilla pudding, following the directions on the box. Soak some biscotti pieces in liquor (Alkermes, brandy, or dark rum will work). Pour the pudding over the biscotti, stir gently, and then refrigerate. Take a look at the recipe below.